connective N2 uncommon writtenpolite
〜に先立ち — prior to ~
〜に先立ち ・ にさきだち
Meaning
- prior to ~ / ahead of ~ / in advance of ~ — a preparatory action that comes before a main event (formal)
Key sentence
開会に先立ち、安全確認が行われた。
Prior to the opening, a safety check was carried out.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (often a する-noun event) | N + に先立って / に先立ち（adnominal N + に先立つ + N） | 試合に先立って / 工事に先立つ調査 |
When: Formal and written — announcements, reports, schedules.
Examples
試合に先立って、両チームが挨拶を交わした。
Before the match, the two teams exchanged greetings.
工事に先立ち、住民への説明会が開かれた。
Prior to construction, a briefing for residents was held.
When you can't use it
- Takes a NOUN; the earlier action is a preparatory step tied TO the upcoming event, not just any earlier action. For plain 'before,' use 前に.
Easily confused with
See 〜に先立ち in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜に先立ち the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.